


Between the Lines

by kriscasso



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-04
Updated: 2016-06-04
Packaged: 2018-07-12 06:30:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7089064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kriscasso/pseuds/kriscasso
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jongin attends a fake dinner with his very real crush.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Between the Lines

Jongin lives a simple life where he works enough hours at the book shop to afford a quaint apartment ten minutes from the downtown area and spends his free time relaxing at home. He doesn’t like to go out drinking like most other people his age because having embarrassing photos of him posted on social media isn’t his idea of fun. For Jongin, he enjoys basking in the silence, wherever that may be. Some days it means going to the park because his next door neighbors have gotten into another fight or the shop where the sounds of shuffling feet and turning pages become white noise in the background. 

He always thought he’d be content with living his day to day life without anything too crazy going on, but then he met Park Chanyeol, the antagonist in his otherwise mundane story. Chanyeol started working at the book shop two weeks ago, and Jongin swears he’s already fallen for the giant who laughs a little too loud and is clumsier than a baby learning how to walk. They barely talk to each other during store hours, but once closing time comes around, Chanyeol never forgets to bid Jongin a safe journey home. Simply hearing the taller male’s voice gets Jongin’s heart racing. 

Ever since Chanyeol appeared, Jongin has started to work more hours just so he can see the other more often. He hopes the fact that they’re stuck in a cramped environment together almost all the time will force him to start a meaningful conversation with Chanyeol, yet nothing has come out of it. He merely scurries off to help a customer on the other side of the shop whenever the elder gets too close for comfort. 

 

“You can’t come in, mom. I’m working,” Chanyeol whines by the cash register.

The book shop is half an hour away from closing, so technically he isn’t lying. Jongin tries to ignore the other’s private conversation, occupying himself with menial tasks. 

“For god’s sake, I’m a grown man!” Chanyeol screeches and slams his hand down on the counter.

Jongin chuckles at how childish Chanyeol is acting and quickly forces himself into the break room because he remembered he shouldn’t be listening onto someone else’s phone call. He gets onto his knees and sifts through the contents of the mini fridge to make sure no one has left any spoiled foods behind. Joonmyun, their boss, has a tendency to bring in all sorts of snacks and forgets them until it’s too late. Right when he’s probing at what looks like a block of cheese gone bad, he’s yanked up to his feet by the collar of his shirt and is met with pleading eyes and the cutest pout in the world.

“No time to explain, but you have to pretend to be my boyfriend for like five minutes,” Chanyeol spits out as he drags Jongin out to the front of the shop where a couple in their late fifties stand.

Jongin swallows thickly and decides to keep quiet until he’s talked to directly because he’s utterly confused, and Chanyeol is holding onto him tightly. If they were this close under different circumstances, Jongin’s heart would be bursting in happiness. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you guys earlier, but I already have a boyfriend — Jongin,” Chanyeol says, smiling wearily at his parents. 

The couple glance at Chanyeol in disbelief for a moment before directing their attention to Jongin and unfortunately, their faces don’t give away any sign of the thoughts running through their heads. Do they think Jongin is handsome? Do they think he’s appropriate for their son? Jongin mentally scolds himself for bothering to think of such things since he and Chanyeol aren’t actually together. He slumps his shoulders at the sad reality, causing him to lean heavily on the taller male. 

“Is the boy okay? He doesn’t look so well,” Mrs. Park comments. 

“He’s just really sleepy, which is why we should all head home soon,” Chanyeol insists. 

“Alright, dear, but I want to have a proper dinner with you and Jongin tomorrow. I’d like to get to know the boy who has stolen my baby’s heart.” 

Chanyeol huffs and waves his parents goodbye, continuing to hold onto Jongin steadily until they’re out of sight. Jongin already misses Chanyeol’s warmth when they part, and he contemplates asking for a hug. 

“Well, that didn’t go as well as I’d like, but at least I don’t have to go on another blind date!” Chanyeol brings his hand up for a high-five. Jongin leaves him hanging. All he can think about right now is how nice it felt to be held by Chanyeol and wonders if they’ll go through with this dinner.

“Are you okay, Jongin? I know you’re usually quiet, but I sense something’s going on with you.” Chanyeol’s voice is laced with concern, and it tugs at Jongin’s heart strings. 

“Why wouldn’t I be? It’s the end of the day, and I’d just like to go home now,” Jongin lies and heads back into the break room to retrieve his jacket. He can hear Chanyeol trailing behind him, but doesn’t think too much of it since Chanyeol always lugs his things around in a tattered backpack. 

An awkward silence falls between them as they make sure all the money is accounted for and the lights are turned off. The walk to the front door isn’t any better, and Jongin swears Chanyeol can read his mind when he feels a pull on his sleeve.

“Hey, if you’re thinking about that dinner my mom proposed, we don’t actually have to go. I’ll tell her you couldn’t make it and then fabricate a believable tale about how we broke up soon after,” Chanyeol says as Jongin locks the door behind them. 

The logical part of Jongin tells him to agree with Chanyeol and forget about tonight’s events, but the irrational part of him urges him to attend tomorrow’s dinner with Chanyeol’s parents. 

“No, I would like to go. How could I pass up a free meal?” Jongin tries to be lighthearted about the situation even though he knows it’ll be hard to pretend that he doesn’t like the thought of being close to Chanyeol again in a more intimate setting. 

Chanyeol’s face lights up, and he gathers Jongin in his arms, squeezing the life out of the smaller male. Jongin can barely breathe, but he isn’t going to complain because he wants this moment to last forever. 

“Knowing my mom, she probably wants us to eat at one of the city’s upscale restaurants, so I’d advise you to bring in a set of formal wear to work tomorrow. My dad couldn’t care less, but my entire family likes to appease her.” 

Chanyeol bids farewell to Jongin, and they part ways. On Jongin’s train ride home, he can’t stop thinking about how happy Chanyeol had looked earlier on. It brings butterflies to his stomach.

 

The next day, Jongin and Chanyeol are back to their normal routine where they don’t talk to each other and focus on their individual tasks. Jongin mans the cash register while Chanyeol buzzes around from customer to customer, assisting them with all of their needs. As the sun travels across the sky, Jongin gets more and more nervous. He thought that tonight wouldn’t be a big deal after he had agreed to it, but the way his body fidgets tells him a different story. He really wants to back out, but he knows Chanyeol wouldn’t be too happy about that because the elder stashed his own suit in the break room when he reported for work. 

The book shop is completely void of any customers fifteen minutes before their usual closing time, so the pair decide to close up early because they need to put on their suits before Chanyeol’s parents arrive. Jongin didn’t think changing in the same room as the taller male would be an issue until he sees Chanyeol in only his spongebob boxer briefs. His cheeks flush immediately, and he has to turn around and pretend he did not notice the nice package the other is sporting. 

Jongin tries to focus on buttoning up his shirt correctly and folding his plain clothes, but Chanyeol makes a lot of noise as he’s changing. The noises only get louder after Jongin has his belt buckled and he allows himself to check up on the elder. To only make sure he is okay, of course. Chanyeol has his pants and shirt on, fortunately, but the tie around his neck looks like it could be used as an impromptu noose. Jongin shakes his his head as he watches the other fumble to get the knot right and gathers up enough courage to go help him out. 

“I’ll do it,” Jongin offers, holding in his breath once he’s inside of Chanyeol’s personal space. He avoids eye contact while he untangles the mess, crossing and looping the ends afterwards to make the perfect knot. By the time he’s done, he feels a little dizzy from the lack of oxygen and feels the wind being knocked out of him when he takes a step back to see how good of a job he has done. Chanyeol looks absolutely gorgeous with the way his shirt hugs his body, giving definition to his broad shoulders and firm chest. His pants even make his gangly legs look delectable. 

“You don’t look so well, Jongin. Should I call my parents and tell them something came up?” Worry washes over Chanyeol’s face and he presses the back of his hand to Jongin’s forehead. 

“I-I’m fine. I am j-just afraid I’ll mess things up,” Jongin utters out. 

Chanyeol doesn’t look convinced whatsoever, but he doesn’t push the issue either. Jongin is more than thankful and walks back to where he stood previously to slip on his suit jacket. 

They finish up getting ready just in time for Chanyeol’s parents to pull up to the curb outside of the shop. His mother beams at the pair and gestures for them to get into the backseat, but Chanyeol reminds her he isn’t ten anymore and has a car of his own. She is displeased with his answer and reluctantly lets them go on their way. 

“I expect you to show up on time, so no dilly-dallying.” 

The car ride to the restaurant is silent, but neither Chanyeol nor Jongin seem to mind one bit. Chanyeol is focused getting them to their destination in one piece while Jongin stares out the window at the streets. Young adults come out of hiding and head for the nightclubs and bars. For the first time ever, Jongin wishes he was more of a drinker so he could get lost in the bittersweet haze tonight. 

A valet boy takes Chanyeol’s beat-up ride away once they arrive to the restaurant, and Jongin hopes the car will still be functioning by the time dinner ends. Mr. and Mrs. Park are already sitting at a table inside by the windows with flutes of champagne in front of them. 

Jongin feels like hurling now that this is actually happening, but there’s no turning back since he’s dressed up and Chanyeol is leading him over to his parents. The couple stand up to greet the young men, exchanging pleasantries and shaking hands. Everything feels so artificial and stiff. 

“So how exactly did you two meet, and how long have you been together?” Mrs. Park starts off, getting straight to the point of the dinner. 

Jongin and Chanyeol hadn’t prepared a script in advance, but it seems like Chanyeol has everything covered when he begins to tell his parents about his first day working at the book shop.

Chanyeol walked into the shop looking out of place since he was as tall as the bookshelves and his ratty backpack was about to fall apart. Jongin thought the taller male was just another homeless man seeking shelter from the unforgiving weather that day, but then Joonmyun introduced him to the other as his new coworker. He felt embarrassed for assuming Chanyeol had no place to live and tried to make it up to him by showing him the ropes. They didn’t talk much since most of the work required very little explaining. Chanyeol wasn’t a fast learner, but he showed a lot of effort as he tried to finish transactions and shelve away books in their proper sections. While they worked side by side, Jongin couldn’t help but notice what a lovely smile Chanyeol had and would try to sneak glimpses of it. By the end of the day, Jongin could tell Chanyeol would be a wonderful asset to their team because the elder never gave up no matter how many times he failed. 

“Jongin never stopped believing in me! I know I’m tough to teach, but hey, Jongin is one hell of a teacher,” Chanyeol finishes his tale and fumbles around under the table for Jongin’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. 

“That’s rather sweet of you, Jongin. I’m surprised there is someone out there with enough patience to deal with this boy. As a child, he would always have fits and I’d have to —”

“Jongin doesn’t need to know about that,” Chanyeol cuts in and waves a waiter over to take their orders. 

As they wait for their food to come, Chanyeol’s parents continue to ask more questions about them as a couple, and Jongin allows Chanyeol to take charge of the conversation. After all, he doesn’t know what the hell to say in the first place and listening to the elder’s voice is so soothing. The night seems to be going fine and then the rug is pulled out from under the pair when Chanyeol’s dad decides to throw in a question of his own. 

“Why did you decide to date Chanyeol? What made you attracted to this most ungraceful man?” 

Jongin’s eyes widen, and he feels Chanyeol’s hand on his once again. This time, the taller male doesn’t pull away and rubs the back of his hand with his thumb. 

After a couple drawn out seconds, Jongin shares his true feelings since Chanyeol will think everything is a lie, anyway. Getting things off his chest might actually help him get over the man with the dorky grin and incoordinated steps. 

“The first thing I noticed about Chanyeol was his smile. It always brightens up my day, and I adore the way he laughs. His eyes turn into crescent moons and his mouth is ajar, bellowing out loud with no inhibitions. I know some people find it annoying, but I love it a lot. Most of all, I really love how caring he is towards everyone and everything. One time there was a spider in the shop, and he insisted on taking it outside to reunite it with its family. I’m so lucky to have him in my life.” 

Jongin can’t look at anyone after he’s done professing his love and keeps his eyes on the crème brûlée everyone decided to have for dessert. He cracks the thin layer of sugar on top with his spoon and proceeds to eat as if he hadn’t just shared his deepest thoughts with the world. Mr. and Mrs. Park seem pleased with his answer, so is Chanyeol. 

The rest of dinner goes by without a hitch. Everyone is at ease after the bill is taken care of, and Mr. Park is finishing up the last of his wine. Jongin is quite proud of himself for managing to keep everything together throughout the entire night, but his feelings for Chanyeol haven’t changed a bit. If anything, he thinks he has fallen more head over heels for the other. Chanyeol was so expressive as he told his parents different stories about him and Jongin, making mountains out of ant hills. Every little interaction they had inside of the shop was retold so beautifully, as if they were taking part in an ancient epic. It kills Jongin a little to know that Chanyeol was only saying these things for his parents’ sake, but a tiny part of him thinks Chanyeol might actually mean what he said. 

“It was lovely meeting you, Jongin. I hope that we get to see you more often now that Chanyeol has finally introduced us to one another.” Mrs. Park wishes them a goodnight and gestures for her husband to follow her out to fetch their car. 

Jongin and Chanyeol are left to sit at the table alone, neither of them saying a word. They mindlessly fiddle around with their napkins long after the dishes and cutlery have been cleared away. The staff aren’t in a hurry to kick them out after the big tip Chanyeol’s parents had left, so the young men maintain the silence between them in an awkward fashion. 

“Thanks for the help, Jongin. I wouldn’t have been able to pull this off with anyone else,” Chanyeol finally says. 

“No problem,” Jongin replies curtly. 

“Why do you look so sad?” Chanyeol turns to Jongin and tilts the latter’s head up with his finger.

“I’m just tired. It’s been a long night. I better get going,” Jongin lies and swats Chanyeol’s hand away. He rises from his seat and heads for the entrance. When he hears the elder calling out for him, he doesn’t know why he stops in his tracks. It’s not like Chanyeol will magically confess to him about his repressed feelings.

“Jongin… I drove you here. The least I can do is take you back home.” 

This isn’t exactly what Jongin hoped to hear, in fact, it’s the complete opposite because he isn’t prepared to endure another car ride with the giant. After tonight, the barrier between them will be much harder for Jongin to maintain. 

“No, it’s fine. I just need to get down to the subway and I’ll —”

“I insist, really. Like I always say when we part, I want you to get home safely.”

Jongin knows better than to accept Chanyeol’s offer because any further unnecessary interactions between them will only complicate his feelings, yet he finds himself nodding his head. He follows behind Chanyeol quietly with his head down and allows the motions to happen. Sitting in the taller male’s car again feels different the second time around, and Jongin hopes this will be the last. Just like before, the ride is silent as they head for Jongin’s apartment. Outlandish neon signs and traffic lights meld into a colorful blur outside of the window, a welcoming distraction for the young man on the passenger side. Before he knows it, they’re parked in front of the brick building he calls a home. No one makes a move to leave the car. 

“I know we’re not the best of friends, but I want you to know that you can always come to me if there’s something wrong because I care a lot about you, Jongin,” Chanyeol says, shifting his body a little to face Jongin properly. 

“I-I don’t know what to say.” But he does. He wants to tell Chanyeol that he cares a lot about him, too, and that his feelings towards the elder have been growing as of late. He makes the mistake of looking into Chanyeol’s eyes because all he can find behind them is sincerity and concern. His heart skips a beat and breath hitches in the back of his throat.

“Why don’t you say you like me?” Chanyeol supplies and reaches over the center console to hold Jongin’s hand. 

Jongin panics and tries to pull his hand away, but the elder’s grasp is relentless. “I have no clue what you’re talking about. Please just let me go home.” 

“Oh. I must have been reading the signs wrong. I’m so sorry, Jongin.” Chanyeol sounds defeated and deflated as he lets him go. 

“Chanyeol…” Jongin tries to take ahold of the other’s hand because he’s never seen him so crushed, but Chanyeol shakes his head and places his hands on the steering wheel. 

“I was stupid to think that you actually liked me back. I’m sorry for wasting your —”

Before Chanyeol can finish his sentence, Jongin throws himself against him and lets out an exasperated sigh. He’s been waiting for this moment ever since they met. It may not be exactly how he imagined it to play out, but all that really matters is that Chanyeol likes him! 

“You are stupid, but I still like you anyway,” Jongin mumbles, clinging onto the taller male as tightly as possible. 

Chanyeol is sputtering for words, and Jongin can’t help but make a quip about who’s the speechless one now. He doesn’t need Chanyeol to say the right thing anymore because everything is more than perfect. They don’t move a muscle until Chanyeol regains his bearings and asks if he can go upstairs. Jongin says ‘yes’, of course. His apartment is sparingly decorated and the walls are painted a dull shade of yellow. No matter, Chanyeol brightens up any room he walks into. 

“Would you like some water or coffee, perhaps?”

“I’m thirsty for something else.”

 

Jongin and Chanyeol are giddy around each other inside and outside of the book shop after that night. Joonmyun has taken notice of the change in dynamics between them, but won’t say a word because they’re still productive. He just wishes they wouldn’t try to fuck in the break room because that’s where people eat for goodness’ sake.


End file.
